1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a composition for cleaning hard surfaces. It concerns more particularly a cleaning composition for hard surfaces appearing in the form of a concentrated liquid usable as is or in a diluted form incorporating water as a complement. Advantageously the compound is a stable, clear solution in a single phase.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One traditionally distinguishes three categories of cleaning products for hard surfaces, namely: Scouring powders, creams with fine abrasives, liquids.
The composition according to the invention belongs to this third category. It comprises phosphoric esters.
Numerous liquid compositions for cleaning hard surfaces have already been described These compositions have for the most part a relatively low content in active components (on average 15-20% by weight of active components based on the weight of the composition) and comprise a high proportion of water.
Documents DE-2.603.307 and FR-2.396.797 describe cleaning compositions comprising phosphoric esters; it is pointed out that these compositions must be acid in order to give, on drying, a good surface brightness on the articles cleaned.
In documents FR-2.027.559 and FR-2.394.602 are described phosphoric esters, presented as useful for the solubilization and respectively the dispersion of insoluble hydrocarbons in an aqueous medium.
A single phase liquid detergent containing among other phosphoric esters is described in document FR-2.193.871. However it is mentioned therein that the detergent composition must comprise a major proportion of water and that the phosphoric esters suggested function is to favor the softening of materials, as it is pointed out that the detergent compositions which contain them are essentially destined to the washing of linen with a softening effect.
Detergent compositions with phosphoric esters for cleaning household utensils or solid surfaces are also described in documents FR-2.359.893 and EP-94.119. However the phosphoric esters are only additives of detergent reinforcing agents in these compositions: presented for this purpose among other possible compounds, they are not selected for preference. Moreover, the detergent compositions do not comprise non-ionic surface active agents, but comprise amine oxides among the essential components.
On the other hand, document DE-2.008.777 describes a composition of surface active agents allowing properties of regulated foaming to be obtained, which is a determining criterion for use in a machine.
In this composition, phosphoric esters are associated with non-ionic surface active agents to ensure together a function of foam inhibition, and these compounds are combined with a foaming anionic surface active agent, so that the overall compound is a foaming compound with regulated foam height. The anionic surface active agent comprises compulsorily a sulphate or a sulphonate. The phosphoric esters, which are more precisely alkylether phosphates, have a low number (that is less than 2 according to the examples) of alkylene oxide groups and a chain length of the esterifying alkyl group as great as possible (that is at least in C.sub.18, according to the examples illustrating these requirements).
Considerations of the same type, applied to composition for washing products which is a low foaming powder, are developed in document FR-2.318.921.
Despite these proposals, albeit somewhat contradictory, there exists a need for detergent compositions capable of cleaning hard surfaces and of removing all types of stains and particulate spots, without scratching, and in a liquid form, preferably in a single phase.